"Eric Flint & K. D. Wentworth - The Course of Empire" - читать интересную книгу автора (Flint Eric)

records, they do not deem it honorable to be always last. The psych studies indicate they
are actually intrigued by novelty. They like to be first."
"Only because they are reckless." Yaut's whiskers twitched in disapproval. "Since
they breed like vermin, they can afford to expose themselves. If one falls, twenty more
will take its place."
Aille let the remark pass, as none of the natives were close. By all reports Terrans
were very sensitive about the matter of "face," as several Jao studies termed it. Had they
overheard Yaut's caustic comment, it would have been a most inauspicious beginning.
From what Aille had seen so far, the older Jao, assigned by Aille's kochan upon the
recent completion of his qualifying studies, was consistently and unrelentingly skeptical
of Terra's worth. There was a definite possibility the current Pluthrak kochanau had even
selected Yaut for that very trait, hoping to inculcate prudence in a scion more than one of
his kochan-parents considered to be somewhat rash and impulsive.
But whatever else might be said of this rogue world, its inhabitants had held off the
Jao for an astonishingly long time. The conquest of Terra had proven far more difficult
than any other the Jao had undertaken, except when they directly confronted the Ekhat
themselves. Some of that was simply due to Terra's enormous population. With their
profligate breeding habits, humans on this one planet alone probably had almost a fourth
of the entire population of the Jao, who were scattered across hundreds of star systems.
Terra's human population, even after the massive casualties they suffered during the
conquest, simply dwarfed that of any other species ever conquered by the Jao.
 But that was not the only explanation, nor even the principal one. Human technology
was also far above anything ever encountered among the many other races the Jao had
conquered. Reading what was hinted at but not stated directly in the reports, Aille
suspected, in many respects, human technology was more advanced than that of the Jao.
The conquered species seemed to possess an intrinsic cleverness which, if properly
harnessed, might be wielded effectively against the Ekhat.
And that would bring status to all.
The leader halted at the foot of the ramp and waited for Aille's acknowledgment. The
pale-gold nap of his cheek bore a single incised bar and he had the characteristically
skimpy vai camiti banding of Krumat, a provincial kochan much inferior in status to his
own Pluthrak.
The Terrans lined themselves up behind him like bombs in a crate. Patterns, Aille
thought, with a dismissive twitch of his nose. This species was said to be obsessed with
sharp corners and meticulous spacing, seeking to impose artificial order everywhere
possible.
He met the Krumat's flickering green-black eyes. "Subcommandant Aille krinnu ava
Pluthrak," he said, speaking first, as was his right, and giving his own identifying
designations. He extended his hand, showing the bau given him by his kochan at his
departure. The bau was a short, somewhat stubby rod. Most kochan made their bau from
various woods, but Pluthrak used the shell of one of Marit An's sea-beasts. The material,
with its glossy near-white color, was almost as much a symbol of Pluthrak as the
traditional carvings on it.
There were not many carvings, and those simply generic to the kochan, indicating
that the scion who carried the bau was young and inexperienced. But it mattered little. It
was a Pluthrak bau, and it showed that the great kochan had bestowed its blessing on the
scion who carried it: here is one fit to command.
The officer inhaled sharply as though someone had struck him, though at the last he
managed to turn the sound into a muffled cough. Aille was more or less accustomed to
such reactions. Pluthrak status had that effect on many.